Haunted by the Past
by Soccer-Bitch
Summary: Paisley Carmichael has gone through hell before she was in high school, but nothing will be okay until she can leave her uncle's care when she turns 18. For her every day is a battle while under his roof. Even when everything seems to be falling around her she knows that she can trust the Gallagher's to have her back, especially her best friend Ian. Lip/OC
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This is my first attempt at doing a Shameless story. Hopefully it turns out as well as I'm hoping for!_**

**_A/N2: I own nothing except my characters._**

* * *

_**Chapter One**_

_Twelve year old __Paisley __Carmichael was wearing the dress that her seventeen year old brother had helped her pick out. It wasn__'t a happy occasion, it was one that would alter both their lives forever. Last week had been a relief to everyone in the courtroom besides her father. He had pleaded innocent on all four charges that he stood accused of. Two counts of murder in the first degree, one count of attempted murder, and one count of domestic violence. _

_She had been sitting with her brother, holding his hand tightly not knowing if she wanted to know what these strange people would decide for her father's fate or if she had already resigned herself to knowing that nothing would ever go back to the way they had been not that long ago. Hearing the word guilty four times, she buried her head into her brother's side and cried. Tears of joy. Her father would be going to jail where he belonged. _

_It was pure luck that Paisley did not have to testify during the trial. She had seen what her father had done to her mother, but there was plenty of evidence that both lawyers seemed to agree that she would not be a witness in the trial. But that was last week. Now they were back to hear the sentencing._

_Judge David Harrison had eyes like a hawk, at least Paisley thought so. And there were many times that her own eyes had met his during the trial. It seemed to her that although his eyes were on her or someone else, he wasn't missing anything that was happening in his courtroom. Right now, Judge Harrison was looking down at a folder as everyone waited for him to begin._

"_Not one single person on the jury believed in your innocence. I'm not sure there is any one person in this courtroom today that believes it. I know that your son and daughter are here and my heart truly goes out to them for they are old enough to know how their father has taken two lives and feels no remorse," the man said as he looked from Paisley and her brother back to their father who looked detached, but not sorry in the least for what he did. "In all my time here, I can honestly say I have never seen someone so selfish and self-centered. You had an affair while married to the mother of your kids. Then the woman you were cheating on your wife with becomes pregnant. And instead of taking responsibility for your actions you started to plot and plan how you could get out of the mess you made and start over again. What is deplorable is all the innocent lives you have ruined and not once did you think of them. Your children were just in the way and you didn't think how your actions would affect them. Your daughter has been in this courtroom and not once have you spared her a glance or a smile that maybe things would be okay. No, your only thoughts were about you."_

_Everyone in the courtroom let the judge's words sink in. It would seem that he had not been unaffected by the trial of a man that had thrown everything away. Paisley took a deep breath, she knew from the previous days and with her brother being honest about what was happening that this would not be an easy day for them. After a few moments, the judge picked up where he had stopped at._

"_I hope and pray that your actions have not done severe damage to those around you. Your brother will have custody of your children until they reach the age of eighteen if he can prove he has suitable living conditions for them," Judge Harrison said before looking down at the folder in his hand. "For the crime of domestic violence you are sentenced to twenty years. For the crime of attempted murder you are sentenced to forty-five years because of the use of a firearm in your crime. For the crime of two murders in the first degree the sentence is the same for both. Life without parole."_

_Letting that sink in, the Judge looked at the man who still had not looked at his children. Not once._

"_I know that you weren't sorry when you committed these horrendous crimes, you weren't sorry during the trial, and you aren't sorry now. Maybe one day you will be, but it is already too late for that. You will have the chance to appeal. Do you have an attorney for that?"_

"_Yes, your honor."_

"_If you wish, you may tell your children good-bye before you are taken away."_

_Paisley looked at her father, but he did not turn around. He didn't glance over his shoulder at them, nothing. He was led out of the courtroom and that was the last time she saw him until she came to live with her uncle and he forced her to visit her father with him every month. But then she got smart and made sure that he wasn't able to find her by the time he left for the jail. _

_Three months after her father's sentencing was the very last time she saw him. And that was how she preferred it. He started to write her letters when she was fourteen, but she never opened a single one before throwing it away into the trash. _

_On the day her brother turned eighteen, they spent the day together. First visiting their mother who had yet to wake up from the coma their father left her in. Paisley spent the most time out of them in the hospital room and had come to know the nurses that took care of her mother fairly well. After their visit with their mother, they just spent the day together before having dinner at a diner to celebrate Andrew signing the papers to join the Marines. They both knew this would be hard, but they knew they would stay in touch. Andrew had saved the money and was able to buy a decent cell phone for her that was already paid for and he had her number so that they could always stay in touch while she still lived with their uncle._

* * *

Rolling over, seventeen year old Paisley turned off the alarm clock on the table next to her bed. Another day of school, another day she was forced to act as if things were alright. Hitting the alarm to shut it off, she groaned as she sat up. Glancing at the bedroom door, she smiled. It had been her brother's room for the year that he lived here with her and their uncle after their father went to jail. But it didn't last long since he had long ago knew that he wanted to be more, to become a Marine. And so after talking about it with her, at the age of eighteen he enlisted. And he was on a deployment at the moment so she hadn't heard from him for about a week. But that was normal and it wasn't as if she was waiting by the phone for him to call her. She had her own life and a big part of that was learning to cover the bruises that her uncle would leave on her face when he got sloppy. Normally he would only bruise her where no one would be able to see. But last night she got mouthy and he hadn't been sober for two days and so he had hit her.

As much as she hated her uncle, she knew it could be worse. She had seen what foster care did to some kids. It wasn't as if she spent a whole lot of time with her uncle, well not intentionally. Two years ago he lost his job and that was when he started drinking and that was when the hitting began. She didn't dare tell anyone about it for fear of having to go into foster care. Usually he didn't hit her anywhere that couldn't be covered by clothing, but after one time that he had gotten her face really good, she stayed home from school the next day and taught herself how to cover any neck and face bruises that he might leave in the future.

The first time she tried to cover up a face bruise was a complete disaster. She had used her normal foundation, but she didn't realize it until after she applied concealer that she had did she realize that the color was all wrong. Instead of hiding the bruise and not calling attention to her face it did the exact opposite. The attempted cover-up of the bruise drew the attention that side of her face. If she didn't want to be taken out of her neighborhood or from her Uncle's house, then she needed to get better cover-up. Knowing where her Uncle kept the cash left over from his drinking, she left her bedroom and made sure he was still passed out before taking it. Most nights there wasn't much left so she would take the leftover money each night and save it for things she need that her Uncle wouldn't provide for her.

She wasn't too far from the L, so instead of going to school the morning after her uncle hit her face for the first time she boarded the train that would take her to the mall where she could find the right make-up that she would need to make it through life under her uncle's roof. The last thing she was expecting was to see Mandy Milkovich on the same train as her. She had pulled the hood of her jacket up over her head before she left the house in hopes that she wouldn't be recognized. It didn't do the trick where Mandy Milkovich was concerned. Not only did she recognize her, she came over and commented on the bruise on her face. And then she did something Paisley had not been expecting. She offered her help with covering up the bruising on her face so that no one would know about it.

The Milkovich family wasn't known for their kindness and Mandy was known to have a reputation that was not flattering in the least. Perhaps it was because of what she saw on her face, but the offer that Mandy gave her was one that she Paisley knew she couldn't turn down. So she didn't. Together the two girls made their way to the mall after getting off the L. At first glance it seemed Mandy was up to no good no matter what, but what if it wasn't like that? What if she just needed a friend that didn't judge her the way everyone else did? That was when she decided that she would be a friend to Mandy Milkovich even if it had to be in secret. After all people like Mandy Milkovich as well as Paisley Carmichael herself had reputations to uphold.

By the time that she had to be at the Kash and Grab for work, Mandy had taught her what she needed to know about covering bruises to make it look like there was absolutely nothing wrong. Nothing is ever smooth sailing because as soon as she walked into the store she saw Ian behind the counter and the owner Kash was no where to be seen. She was five minutes early so it wasn't as if Kash's wife would yell at her like she did to Ian when he didn't arrive on time for a shift.

"_Where were you?"_

It was a simple question and she could have given a simple answer, but the day had been emotional enough as it was. So ignoring her best friend, she just went about her business and headed into the back room. Knowing that he wouldn't follow her since there was no one else to watch the front for the time being, she started to grab things that needed to be stocked and made sure she followed Linda's rules about the store. Kash had come in and Ian was gone by the time she came back out so for the moment she didn't have anything to worry about. But the next time they saw each other she knew he wouldn't let it go so easily.

Tossing the covers off her body, Paisley made her way to the connecting bathroom and looked into the mirror. The bruising around her eye was darker than she thought it would be. Opening the top drawer, she pulled out the purple bag of concealers and placed one on the counter before placing the bag back in the drawer and shut it. Then opening the lower drawer she pulled out her foundation, eye shadow, mascara and eye liner. After carefully making sure that the bruise was covered, Paisley applied the rest of her make up before continuing her normal ritual for what was to be another shitty day on the South Side of Chicago.

After she was dressed and had everything she needed for school, she placed her messenger bag over her shoulder and unlocked the door. Walking out of her room, she closed the door and walked down the stairs as quietly as she could in her heeled boots. They weren't her high heeled ones, but they were still cute and made for winter with a bit of a heel. A gift from her brother before he was deployed overseas. Making it to the kitchen she grabbed a strawberry pop tart and a brown sugar one as well. Shoving both packages into her bag, she grabbed a travel coffee mug and filled it up with coffee that she programmed every night before going to bed. If she were going to survive the day she would need every last drop. Adding a little creamer, she quickly stirred it before slamming the lid on it.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"School," Paisley said, her back still turned away from her uncle who had apparently woken up before she left today. That was a rare occasion these days. "After all, if I don't show up to school, they might call CPS and ask for a wellness check and I might forget to cover a bruise. And then you can maybe share a cell with your brother."

"Have some respect for your father."

"Maybe if he wasn't a murderer I would," Paisley said as she turned around. "Oh wait, no I wouldn't. He's nothing but a coward. Now unless you want CPS coming to check up on me I suggest you move."

Evan Carmichael moved over enough to where his niece could get by him and out the door. He never wanted to have children and now he was stuck with his brother's kid because he had gotten locked up and his wife was in the hospital. Hearing the door slam, Evan walked to the fridge and grabbed a beer before heading back to his room.

* * *

Paisley had every intention of going to school when she left her Uncle's house, but having to have a conversation with the man just totally put her in a shitty mood. So instead of meeting up with Ian, she headed to the Gallagher household. Since they only lived a few blocks away from her, it didn't take her long to show up. What was surprising was the expensive looking car in the front of the house.

Making her way to the side entrance, she opened the door and caught the tail end of the conversation between Fiona and some guy.

"Quit pretending you don't even know me. You weren't that drunk."

"Maybe she isn't into you." Paisley said as she closed the door behind her as she took her beanie off and tossed it on the counter with her bag.

"Hey it's Phillip and someone that I don't know."

"Hey it's dead man walking. Jimmy Clifton called today looking for ya," Lip said before looking at his brother's best friend as she looked at the man she didn't know. "Hey Lu."

"Hey Lip." Paisley said as she took the pop tarts out of her bag and put them on the shelf in the kitchen.

"No school?" the man asked.

"Nah, I got some teeth pulled today."

"Wisdom teeth?"

"Sugar rot." Lip said as he pulled two containers of juice from the fridge and handed one to the blonde girl in the kitchen.

"Ah," the man said in understanding. "Little known fact. Don't just chew your food on one side. It can buckle your jaw, which can buckle your hips and affect your posture."

"Ah, that a fact?" Lip asked.

"Skeletal fact."

Both Lip and Paisley looked at Fiona as she said her brother's name and then mouthed the words fuck off to him. Paisley had been coming around the Gallagher's for awhile and knew that Fiona wanted privacy, but wasn't sure she wanted to leave the woman who was like an older sister to her because frankly she didn't know if she could trust the guy in the kitchen.

Lip nodded his head as Paisley went over to her bag and pulled out a box of hot pockets since was going to give them to Ian later, but now she didn't have to.

"Talk out of your ass with that much conviction," Lip said as he left the kitchen before turning and looking at Steve. "You end up needing a much bigger toothbrush. Anal fact."

"Lu…" Fiona said as she looked at the teenager.

"Fi…" Paisley said, crossing her arms over her chest. Fiona stared at the girl knowing that her intentions were to protect as she had been doing since her father put her mother in a coma. She protected those she cared for most. "Ian's hot pockets are buried. Tell him we are even now."

"If you are sticking around-"

"Lu is it?" the man asked.

Glaring at him, she snapped. "Only my friends call me that."

"Steve this is Paisley. Paisley, Steve," Fiona said introducing them. "Paisley is Ian's best friend. She should be at school, but I suppose she is having an off day."

"I forgot my way." Paisley said grabbing her stuff as she followed Lip in the direction of the stairs where he had probably gone to his bedroom.

"Hey, Lu," Fiona called her, which stopped her in her tracks. "I might need you to watch Liam."

Nodding her head, Paisley continued on her way upstairs to the boys' room.

After the kids got home from school, Lip and Ian took off to Karen Jackson's house. Apparently Lip had found out Ian's biggest secret, but when Ian said something in front of both her and Lip, Lip had been in shock that Paisley already knew. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. Of course she knew, Ian was her best friend. Instead of going with them, they left her at the Gallagher house and she helped Debbie with her homework.

When the door opened and Ian and a limping Lip came crashing in. Paisley could hear the commotion from where she had been reading on Ian's bed. Ian helped Lip to Carl's bed before calling for Fiona to help. Hearing their made-up story, Paisley hid her face in her book so she didn't give them away. It was so obvious to her what really happened, but she would keep their secret as long as they wanted to keep up the charade. When Veronica came in, she told Fiona she was doing it all wrong before sending Ian for the stuff at her house. Checking the time on her cell she groaned.

"Tell Ian I had to split. Gotta get home before Uncle Evan."

"Bye Lu."

Fiona and Veronica called out to the teen who grabbed her bag and headed down the stairs and out the door. Heading back to the one place that she hated more than anything else.

* * *

**_That's it for the first chapter! Let me know what you think!_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: I own nothing except my characters._**

* * *

_**Chapter Two**_

Hearing the ringing of her cell phone, Paisley rolled over and reached blindly for it. Before she could even reach it, it stopped ringing. Yawning, she turned over and attempted to go back to sleep. Just as she got comfortable, she heard her phone go off again. Groaning she sat up and reached over for the stupid noise maker.

"Hello?" Paisley said as she slid back down on her bed.

"_Lu, I need a favor."_

"Ian, I was asleep."

"_We think Frank is missing."_

"I'm sure he'll-"

"_It's the last Friday of the month, Lu."_

Hearing those words made any sleepiness disappear from her. Frank Gallagher never missed his disability check, never. Even after Ian had showed up last night after Frank had head butted him in the face, the blood still there, she knew that Ian was worried about his father.

"Shit," Paisley muttered as she ran her free hand through her blonde hair that she had left down when she went to bed last night. "What can I do to help?"

"Bring your cell and meet me at the Kash and Grab," Ian said. "We are splitting up to look for him. I'm already out and about, but keep your eyes open on your way."

"Okay, sounds like a plan."

Getting home late last night from the hospital where she was visiting her Mom while hoping for any kind of improvement. She had fallen asleep in the chair next to her bed. The nurses knew her well enough to leave her alone for some alone time with the mother that didn't look like she was going to wake up anytime soon. When she left she had barely made it onto the L. The biggest surprise was when she came upon her uncle's house only to see Ian sitting on the porch waiting for her. When he told her of the events of what happened, she was surprised that the guy Steve had gotten into Frank's face.

And now Frank seemed to be missing. Meeting up with Ian, she gave him a hug and together they called out Frank's name as they looked in places that he could have possibly fallen asleep at. For as long as she could remember, Frank never missed the day his check would come and although she didn't say anything she knew all the Gallagher's were worried. It just didn't make sense. The man was an alcoholic, he didn't just disappear.

After awhile of searching for Frank and coming up empty, Ian and Paisley headed back to the Gallagher household. On their way back they caught up with Debbie who was trying to hold in the pain of what was happening, but when she really looked at the girl, Paisley thought it was worse.

Grabbing the girl's arm, Paisley brought her into her side and gave her hand a squeeze. "Things will be alright Debs. Frank will be looking for his check soon and then we can all have a laugh about searching for him."

Shaking her head, they walked through the door and that's when they really took notice of how badly Debbie was shaken up. "Ian, go get Fi."

Nodding his head, Ian listened to his best friend as she tried to comfort his younger sister. He knew from experience that there were times that Debbie wouldn't open up to any of them, but she would talk to Paisley and right at this moment he was grateful to have her there with them.

"I'll check next door at Kev's."

Before anyone could say anything, he was out the door. Only a few minutes had passed before Fiona, Steve and Veronica were following Ian back inside the Gallagher household. Keeping her arm around Debbie to let her know that she was there for the youngster. When Fiona asked her sister what was wrong all that came out were muffled words that her sobs covered up.

"Holly thought she saw a body under the tracks on Halstead." Ian translated for his older sister who had looked at him for a bit of help.

"What?" Fiona asked.

"It's not him Debs or the police would have contacted us by now." Steve told her.

Paisley wasn't sure if he was trying to reassure the young girl, but when Paisley glanced at him she thought he looked too sure about it. As if he knew something that they didn't.

"It's Holly, sweetheart," Fiona said reminding her sister. "She's been in third grade for four years."

Looking at Veronica, Fiona said, "I'm gonna deck that little bitch."

"Not if I get to her first." Paisley said speaking up.

Steve moved so that he could kneel in front of the youngest female Gallagher in the room. "Does that even make sense Debbie? I mean why would your dad be over on Halstead when he lives in the opposite direction."

"I don't know. How was he looking when you left him at the Alibi Room last night Steve?"

Paisley looked up in surprise. She hadn't heard the door open nor did she hear Lip or Karen before Lip asked his question. Letting Veronica hold the young girl, Paisley stood next to Ian as she watched what was about to unfold.

Standing up, Fiona looked at Steve confused. "When?"

They all watched as he pulled out a cigarette as he thought about the question. "Uhh…10? 10:30?" he guessed as he placed the cigarette between his lips. "Went to buy him a drink to apologize and went home."

Fiona looked as confused as everyone felt. "Why didn't you say?"

Before Steve could say anything, Kevin came in and asked to talk to Fiona. Leaning close to Ian, she nudged him to get him to actually look at her. Softly whispering into his ear, "I don't believe him."

Ian nodded that he understood, but didn't say anything back. He wouldn't, not until they were alone, or as alone as they could get in a house full of people. When Fiona looked at them all, she told them what Kevin had just told her. Fiona wasn't sure what to do with Liam, so that was when she spoke up.

"Fi," Paisley said. "I'll stay here while Liam naps. You guys go and let me know."

"Thanks, Lu." Fiona said, throwing her a grateful smile.

Lip nodded his head in thanks as he and Karen departed. Ian squeezed her shoulder as he left with his family as well as Kevin and Veronica to find out who it was under the tracks and just prayed that it wasn't Frank. Paisley was glad that Steve had gone with them, he had tried to say something to her, but she had turned his back on him before nodding at the younger Gallagher's as they left.

It wasn't long after they left that Paisley had heard Liam crying out. Knowing that he was awake, she made her way up the stairs to get the little man. She had babysat Liam quite a few times, so it wasn't as if she were a stranger to the him. Picking him up out of his crib, she smiled at him as the smell hit her. A diaper change was in need.

Once she had cleaned Liam up, she walked downstairs with him on her hip. Making her way to the living room, she grabbed a book from under the stairs before settling down on the couch so they could read. As hectic as the Gallagher family could be, she also knew that how much they loved and cared for their little brother. It was something she wished she had at home. The love that the Gallagher's had for each other and for the ones they decided to let in made her miss her brother and wished that her mother would wake up from her coma. She knew that she would be going back this weekend to visit with her mother. Her uncle didn't approve of it, the only thing he wanted to see was her visiting the prison to see her father. But that wouldn't happen. Never again.

Halfway through the story there was a knock on the door. She knew it wasn't one of the Gallagher's since they wouldn't knock on their own door. When the knock came again, she placed Liam into the play pen before hearing the knock once more. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

Once she had the door open, she saw that it was Officer Tony Markovich. Tony was one of the few cops that she truly didn't mind. It might be because he was sweet on Fiona, but maybe it was more than that. Tony was a good guy and Paisley had no reason to think otherwise. He wasn't alone and carried a clear plastic box with him.

"Hey Paisley," Tony said once she had finally opened the door and saw who had opened it up. "What are you doing here?"

"Watching Liam," Paisley said. "There was a body under the tracks on Halstead. I stayed behind so they could see if it was Frank. Did Fiona ask you to put a missing persons report on Frank?"

"Can I come in and wait?" Tony asked.

"Did you find him?" Paisley asked, opening the door wider as she allowed them inside. "Did you find Frank? Is he alive?"

"He's alive," Tony told her and Paisley felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Frank was alive and that was a good start. "But we should wait until Fiona gets back to explain everything else."

Nodding her head in understanding, she gave them a smile. "Would you like a cup of coffee? I can make some-"

"It wasn't Frank!" Ian yelled as he walked through the door with the rest of his family.

"Fiona!" Paisley called and then motioned to where Tony and his partner were sitting and waiting for them to arrive.

"Tony," Fiona said, not able to keep the surprise out of her voice. "Did you find him?"

Tony motioned for her to have a seat so that he would only have to go through the explanation one time. Opening the box that his partner had with him, Tony handed her a piece of paper.

"Frank is in Canada."

"In Canada?" Fiona asked, taking the paper to look at it.

"Wait, how?" Lip asked, clearly as shocked as the rest of his family.

"The e-mail from the embassy says he admitted to drug charges but that's before they accused him so they think that he's a juicer headcase-"

"Did they charge him?" Steve asked, interrupting Tony.

"Why don't you shut up and listen and not interrupt when someone is talking?" Paisley snapped at the man. "I'm pretty sure Tony was getting to that part."

Nodding his head in appreciation, Tony continued. "They just want him off Canadian soil as soon as possible, but the U.S. won't let him back in without his passport."

"Frank doesn't have a passport." Fiona said, looking back down at the paper Tony had given her.

"Then he'll have to apply for one."

"How long does that take?" Lip asked, taking the paper Fiona handed him as he stood leaning on the back of the couch.

"Couple months I think." Tony said, not exactly sure.

"Nine weeks if everything is in order and no one screws up the paperwork," Paisley said and when Fiona, Lip and Ian looked at her with surprise she rolled her eyes at them. "My mom had me and my brother get one in case we wanted to travel one day. I might have been young, but I remember."

"So months?" Fiona asked.

"You can apply for an emergency one at the embassy in Toronto."

"How long does the emergency one take?" Fiona asked, looking at Tony.

"I don't know," Tony said. "A week, maybe?"

"Kev has a passport." Veronica said, looking at her boyfriend.

"What good does that do?" Kevin asked, not understanding Veronica's train of thought.

"You could drive up there," Veronica suggested. "Help him with the paperwork at the embassy."

Then she told tried to disguise her voice so that Tony wouldn't understand what she was saying. But it didn't work so well and when Kevin leaned over to look at her, he had Tony plug his ears so he wouldn't hear what they were speaking about. Once they were done, Kevin tapped Tony on the back and Fiona got up and went into the kitchen. It wasn't long before Steve followed her there.

They weren't gone long before she came back out and Tony had to leave and she told everyone that Steve was going to get Frank back.

"Hey, Lu," Lip said as she went to get her coat to head back home to get some studying done. "I heard you were looking for a tutor."

"I'm not paying for a tutor Lip," she told him. "I just want to get my GPA up a bit so that if something happens I won't be stuck in summer school."

"Are you working today?" he asked, lighting up a cigarette and placing it between his lips.

"Nope," she told him zipping up her jacket. "Going to lock myself in my room and try and study and hope that my uncle forgets about me today."

"What subject do you need help in?" Lip asked, grabbing his jacket and putting it on.

"AP Chemistry," Paisley said looking at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Let's go grab your books and whatever," Lip said. "I'll help you with Chem and you can be here when Frank gets back."

"I-"

"Are you staying the night Lu?" Debbie asked as she was looking for her markers to make a welcome home poster for Frank. "You can stay in my room if you want."

"Might make Ian jealous Debs." Lip told her as they headed to the door so that she could go and get her books and a weekend bag to stay at the Gallagher household.

Once they were far enough away from the house, Lip looked at her. "Ian told me that you know."

"What do I know?" Paisley asked, not getting what he was trying to say.

"You know Ian's preference," Lip said. "That he-"

"Yeah I know," Paisley said cutting him off as they walked another block before getting to her street. She was lucky that the walk wasn't too far for her. "And I guess you know as well."

"Yeah," Lip said. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"It isn't any of my business Lip. He's my best friend and I will support him until the day I die, but that is his secret," she said as they walked up the porch stairs of her uncle's place. "He's not home yet. Probably over at the prison telling my father what an ungrateful bitch I am. Help yourself to the food in the kitchen. I'll be down soon."

* * *

Sitting at the breakfast bar in the Gallagher household while doing her homework for the weekend, Paisley was glad not to be at home. Although the Gallagher household was noisy at times, at least she didn't have to lock herself into her bedroom in fear of her uncle coming home in a drunken stupor. With her ear buds in her ears and the music higher than what it should be, Paisley was oblivious to anything else going on around her as she went over her AP Calculus notes. Although she was getting an A in the class, she hated math with a passion and couldn't wait for the class to be done and over with and for summer to begin.

Feeling a nudge in her side, she ignored Lip trying to get her attention. She had three problems left and then she just had to work on her essay for her AP History class. Not breaking her concentration, Paisley continued to work. Nodding her head to the beat of the music, she was surprised when Lip started gathering his own stuff. Ignoring the fact that he wasn't even done, Paisley picked up the cup of water she had. When Lip started shutting her binder and her book she looked up at him in confusion. Taking one ear bud out she looked at him in confusion, but before she had a chance to ask something Lip spoke up.

"We can finish this upstairs," he told her. "Plus you need that laptop your brother bought you so you can finish that paper before Ian gets home."

"Why?" Paisley asked, taking her the other ear bud out of her ear and then she saw Tony standing there giving her and Lip a look. "Real subtle."

Placing her binder in Lip's arms, she grabbed her drink before looking for her bag that she had left by the door when they had gotten back from her place. "My bag?"

"Ian put it in our room before he left for work."

"You guys need to stop messing with my stuff or I might just end up punching one of you."

Tony looked at Fiona and smiled as they listened to Paisley and Lip bantering as they headed up the stairs.

"Paisley staying here tonight?" Tony asked.

"For the weekend," Fiona said. "Lip is helping her get one of her grades up. I'm not sure where she'll end up sleeping. Sometimes it is with Debs and other times she'll end up with Ian. I think she only ever slept on the couch once when she stayed."

* * *

Sunday afternoon, Paisley found herself still at the Gallagher home. Fiona had to work and so did Ian. Lip was around somewhere after coming back from seeing Karen. Paisley had taken Debbie, Carl and Liam to the park before heading back. Fiona had left her a note asking that she stick around so they could talk about something when she got home and if she wanted she could stay an extra night. Not really wanting to go home, she let Lip know she was staying and just hung around the rest of the day. She had finished her homework before going into work at the Kash and Grab yesterday, so she did some studying while Debbie and Carl found something else to do.

After putting Liam down for a nap, she heard someone knocking at the front door. Usually she didn't care to answer the front door when she was at the Gallagher house, so she ignored it. Making sure that Liam was still asleep, she grabbed the baby monitor and headed downstairs to get something to eat. What she was not expecting was to see Lip talking to Steve in the kitchen.

"You still here?" Paisley asked looking at Steve. "Haven't you done enough?"

"Paisley-"

"Go away Steve."

Forgetting about getting something to eat, Paisley just headed back upstairs. Sitting on Ian's bed, she opened her laptop and started to get a head start on a paper that wasn't due for another month. It didn't take long for Lip to join her in the bedroom. He glanced at her before sitting on the bed next to her with his hot pocket and beer still in hand

"Don't like Steve?"

Ignoring Lip, she continued to type on the laptop that her brother had paid for with one of his last checks at the grocery store before heading to boot camp. She was grateful for it because it was easier to work on her essays on the laptop and then print it out. Before she would have to rewrite it a bunch of times, so it was a huge time saver.

Glancing at Lip, he was watching her, waiting for her response. Rolling her eyes she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I don't trust him."

"Before or after leaving Frank in Canada?"

"Before."

Nodding his head, Lip let the topic drop as Debbie walked in. "Are you staying the night again?"

"School night Debs," Lip told her. "She has to go home eventually."

"Can you at least stay for dinner?" the younger girl asked.

"And maybe some post dinner TV," Paisley smiled. "Is all your homework done?"

"Is yours?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm just getting an early start on an essay that isn't due for a bit."

* * *

Sitting around the living room in the Gallagher home was familiar. But Paisley knew that she shouldn't get attached to it. She had to go back to her uncle's home. Her personal hell. But she was tired and could feel her eyes drifting as she sat with Ian in the armchair next to Lip and Karen. Kevin, Veronica, Fiona, Debbie and Liam were scattered on the couch while Carl sat in front of Fiona as she checked his hair. But then a cell phone started going off.

"It's not me." Fiona stated.

"Is that a new phone?" Lip asked as he watched Karen as she pulled hers out of her jacket to see if it was hers.

"Nope." Veronica said after checking hers.

With tired eyes, Paisley pulled hers out of her own jacket and shook her head. "Not me."

That's when Fiona looked around and finally found the phone that was going off. "Hello?" she said when she finally answered it.

After a second, she snapped the phone shut and got off the couch and headed into the kitchen. No one moved or said anything, but Fiona wasn't gone long. When she walked back into the room, she resumed her spot and it was like the phone call never happened.

Later that night, after the three youngest Gallagher's were in bed Paisley found herself sitting in the living room after having done the dishes. She was never good at doing nothing. The TV was off, but she wasn't tired. But she knew that she should go to bed soon, but she didn't want to keep Ian up with her tossing and turning because she couldn't sleep. Chances were that she would fall asleep on the couch.

"Still up?"

Glancing at the entrance to the kitchen, she saw Fiona and gave her a weak smile. For the past five years or so, Fiona Gallagher was the big sister that she never had. Sure she had her brother, but he was serving his country. That was something he always wanted to do and she just couldn't ask him to stay because she didn't want to be alone. Only she wasn't alone, not really. She had all the Gallagher's as well as Kevin and Veronica. For that she was thankful.

"I guess I'm not tired," Paisley admitted. "I did the dishes and I'm still wide awake."

Fiona gave her a small smile before sitting next to her on the couch. "Is everything okay?"

"As far as I know," Paisley said. "Truthfully I like staying here and I really don't want to go back to my uncle's. I'm not in the mood to fight with him about visiting Michael. Uncle Evan hates that I call him that."

"By his name?"

"Yeah," Paisley said with a small laugh. "He hasn't been my father since he killed his mistress and unborn child as well as putting my mom into a coma."

"I'm sorry honey."

Wiping her eyes before the tears could escape, Paisley nodded her head. "Not your fault that Michael is a murderer."

"So I trust your opinion and you are family to us so I wanted to talk to you about Steve."

"If I can be honest I'd rather not talk about him."

"When we looking for Frank before we knew that he was in Canada, you stepped in to help and I don't know how many times I can tell you thank you for that."

"It's what family does for each other."

Fiona smiled at her. "Ian told me that you said something about Steve."

"I don't trust him."

"Why is that?"

"When I first met him that Monday that Lip got his teeth pulled and I walked in the side door Steve was talking to you how Michael used to talk to my Mom. I don't know him well and I guess none of us do but Fi you have know what you and your family means to me."

"I do," Fiona told her as she pulled the teen into her arms. "But you don't have to worry about Steve. He was the one on the other end of the phone call. I told him to go away."

"Think he'll listen?" Paisley asked.

"I don't know," Fiona said. "What I do know is that you have school tomorrow. Where you sleeping?"

"Boys room."

"Okay," Fiona said as they both got off the couch. "Good night Lu."

"Night Fi."

* * *

**_A/N: Let me know what you think!_**


End file.
